Hospital bed bath



April 19, 1966 R. J. SCHMIDT 3,246,346

HOSPITAL BED BATH Filed May 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR waif A TTSRNE E S April 19, 1966 R. J. SCHMIDT HOSPITAL BED BATH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May :3, 1963 INVENTOR: Akoawd z/ fm BY W ATTO NEYS x 7V, ..I

United States Patent 3,246,346 HOSPITAL BED BATH Richard J. Schmidt, (Ihicago, Ill. (151 Idlewild Ava, Mundelein, iill.) Filed May 3, 1963, Ser- No. 277,746 2 Claims. (Cl. 4-177) This invention relates generally to a bathing device and method and more specifically to a novel bathing device and a method particularly suitable for bathing bedridden patients without removing them from their beds. In addition, this invention can be used for therapeutic purposes such as the treatment of burns covering major portions of a patients body and for the promotion of post-surgical healing, such, for example, as after hemorrhoidectomies.

Heretofore when a bedridden patient was to be bathed it was either necessary for the patient to be removed from his bed and carried to a conventional bath tub or for a nurse to give the patient what is commonly called a sponge bath. The former technique usually required the combined elforts of at least two individuals to lift the patient from his bed and carry him to the bath tub. In addition to the inconvenience, the patient was also subjected to possible injuries during the lifting and transporting steps. The sponge bath technique was also unsatisfactory since it did not produce as thorough a cleansing as when the patient was immersed in a water-filled bath tub.

The present invention resolves the foregoing problems and difiiculties by providing a flexible, readily transportable, easily sterilized, water-proofed sheet having four integral flap-type side-wall-forming portions, which when erected form the sheet into a tub. The side walls are continuous so that when they are supported in an upright position, they provide a four-sided, tub-shaped, waterretaining bathing device with its base portion resting on the top surface of the bed.

In order to support the sides, an open ended, longitudinally enclosed, cord-receiving channel is provided at the outer edge of each of the side walls through which one or more cords are inserted. In a preferred embodiment, two cord end portions adjacent each of the corners of the device are securely clamped together by a take-up type clamp. These take-up clamps are supportingly mounted on the brackets provided at the head and foot ends of the bed in order to provide a four-point suspension for my novel bathing tub.

The pitch of the bathing device can be easily regulated by adjustments to the take-up clamps. Thus, when the device is to be used for therapeutic purposes, elevation of the head or foot portions can be accomplished as desired.

For some purposes a single cord can be used to support the side walls in place of the four-cord type installation described above. If a single cord is to be used it should be of suflicient length to completely pass through each of the four open-ended channels located along the outer or top margins of the side walls and have sufiicient additional length to form adequate loops at three .of the open corners. These lOOpS can be supported on hooks which in turn are supported on the mounting brackets located at the head and foot of the bed. The two free ends at the remaining corner can be connected to a take-up clamp.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bathing device for use with bedridden persons.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved method for bathing bedridden persons.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a therapeutic device for treatment of persons suffering from burns over major portions of their bodies.

Another object of this invention is to provide a therapeutic device which can be used to promote post-surgical healing.

Another and further object of this invention is to provide a bathing and therapeutic device which can be easily cleaned and sterilized between uses.

A yet further object of this invention is to provide a bathing and therapeutic device adapted for use in hospitals, which can be easily sterilized prior to use.

A specific object of this invention is to provide a bathing and therapeutic device for bed use which can be used without removing that person from the bed.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein like reference numerals and characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the bathing and therapeutic device of this invention with the side walls thereof in a folded position;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the bathing and therapeutic device of this invention with the side walls thereof in a partially opened position;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view in elevation of the bathing and therapeutic device of the present invention supported on a bed:

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view of a corner of the bathing and therapeutic device of this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the means used for supporting a corner of the bathing and therapeutic device of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a take-up clamp used in the present invention; and

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of one of a pair of mounting brackets of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

In FIGURES l and 2 the reference numeral 11 designates generally a bathing and therapeutic device of this invention having a base portion 12, end walls 13 and 14, and longitudinal walls 15 and 16.

The bathing device 11 is preferably composed of a vinyl coated or silicone treated textile fabric; however, any water-proofed flexible fabric capable of withstanding dry heat and gas sterilization can be used.

The vertical edges of the end and longitudinal walls are sealingly engaged to each other at the corners by close-stitched sewing as shown at 17 in FIGURE 4, or by the use of water-resistant cements, or both, depending upon the degree of strength needed.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the flexible end walls 13 and 14, and longitudinal walls 15 and 16 fold inwardly and downwardly to provide an over-all flat article convenient for storage and also facilitating assembly in a manner which will be more fully described below.

The end walls 13 and 14 are shown overlying the end portions of the longitudinal walls 15 and 16. However, if desired, the bathing device 11 can be folded to permit the longitudinal walls 15 and 16 to overlie the end walls 13 and 14. By dimensioning the longitudinal walls 15 and 16 so that they do not overlap or touch when folded,

erection of the bathing device 11 is made easier, particularly when such erection is attempted with a person lying on the folded device.

Cords 18, 19, 20 and 21 are positioned in open-ended channels or elongated loops 13a, 14a, 15a and 16a extending along the upper edges of the walls 13, 14, 15 and 16. End portions 18a, 18b, 19a, 19b, 20a, 20b, 21a and 21b of the respective cords 18,19, 20 and 21 extend from the open end of the loops as is shown in FIGURE 2. These loops can be formed by lapping the free edge of each of the Walls over one of the cords and then sewing the lapped-over edge of the side wall. In order to support the walls in an upright position, however, the ends of the loops, adjacent the corners should be open so that the end portions of the cords can extend outwardly thereof, as is shown in FIGURE 4. The cord portions adjacent each of the corners, such as 18b and 21a, are adjustably and engageably received by a take-up clamp 22. In a similar manner the end portions 18a and 20a are received by a clamp 23, end portions 19a and 26b are received by a clamp 24 and end portions 19b and 2111 are received by a clamp 25.

Referring to FIGURE 6, the take-up clamp 25 has an outer casing 26 having a top cover plate 27 and a bottom inwardly tapering portion 28 terminating in an open end defined by the inner edge 29. An inner cylindrical housing 30 sized to receive the cord ends 18b and 21a is concentrically located within said casing 26'with a top portion projecting upwardly from and slidably extending through a hole 31 in said cover plate 27. A supporting ring 32 pivotally mounted in the casing 26 has end portions 32a and 32b serving as a limiting means for a coiled spring 33 which encircles the inner housing 'and is retained under compression by an outwardly extending lip 30a. Balls 34- and 35 are positioned below the inner housing 30 and are adapted .to lockingly engage the cord portions 18b and 21a. When the spring 33 is permitted to do so, it exerts a sufiicient downward force againstxthe iip 30a to move the housing 30 downwardly and force the balls 34 and 35 by virtue of the inwardly tapering portion 28 of casing 26 to grab and hold the cord portions 18b and 21a. The cord portions 18b and 21a can be released by exerting an upward force on the inner casing 30 sufiicient to permit the balls 34 and 35 to move upwardly to the Wide diameter area of the tapered portion 28. A mounting bracket 35 suitable for supporting a bathing device 11 is shown in FIGURE 7. This bracket 35 has a fiat U-shaped base portion 36 with legs 37 and 38 extending to curved portions 37a and 38a, respectively. Vertically extending portions 39 and 40, respectively, extend from said curved portions and are bridged near their free ends by a bar 41 fixedly secured thereto. end portions provide attaching posts for the supporting rings 32, as is shown in FIGURE 5.

In FIGURE 3, there are illustrated a bed 42 having head member 43 and foot member 44, a mattress 45 sup-' ported on the bed 42 with the bottom portion 12 (not shown) of the bathing device 11 resting thereon. Mountmg brackets 35 and 46 are shown with their respective U-shaped bases 36 and 4'7 underlying the mattress 45. The side walls 13, 14, 15 and 16 are uprightly supported by the cords 18, 19, 2d and 21 which, in turn, are lockmgly engaged in the take-up clamps 22, 23, 24. and 25 in the manner described above. The take-up clamps 22, 23, 24 and 25 are each attached by their supporting rings to upright projections 49 and 50 of bracket 46 and 39 and 40 of bracket 35 respectively.

It should be noted however that for some installations mounting brackets 35 and 46 would be unnecessary since the take-up clampsmay be mountable directly to the head and foot boards of the bed.

To bathe a patient lying in bed in accordance with the method of this invention the'p'atient is first rolled over to one side of thebed. The bathing device 11 is then laid next to the patient with the longitudinal side The free wall 15 outwardly folded and slightly underlying the patients body. The patient is then carefully rolled over on top of the bathing device 11 and the remaining sides 13, 14 and 16 are partially unfolded so that the device takes the form shown in FIGURE 2, with the patient lying along the longitudinal center. The ends of cords 18, 19, 20 and 21 are engaged with their respective takeup clamps which in turn are secured to the mounting brackets 35 and 46 in accordance with the manner described above. The clamps are adjusted to bring the side walls to an upright position, with the patient lying in the tub-shaped, bathing device. The tub can now be filled with water and the patient bathed.

When the bathing operation is completed the water can be removed from the bathing device 11 by means of a siphon. For some installations however, it may be desirable to provide an outlet drain to facilitate water removal.

This invention has been specifically described as embodied in a flexible bathing device which is adapted to be supported by a pair of right angled mounting brackets.

However, it is to be understood that this invention can be used in conjunction with other supporting means. this invention has a general utility as a portable bathing and treating device and method. Accordingly, the invention described herein is not to be limited to the preferred herein described embodiment. I

Thus, although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device'for use in bathing a person lying on a mattress supported on a bed which comprises:

a pair of mounting brackets spaced at opposite ends of the bed,

each of said mounting brackets having a U-shaped base positionable under said mattress and upwardly extending posts projecting from said U-shaped base and having a rigid horizontal bar spaced between the upwardly extending posts,

a foldable elongated flexible sheet of a vinyl coated fabric having a rectangular base for resting on said mattress and having four integral side wall-forming portions,

each of said side wall portions terminating in an open-ended longitudinally enclosed cord-carrying channel, cord portions extending from each of said open ends of said channels, and

clamping means having ring means sized to embrace said upwardly extending posts and bottom on said horizontal bars of said mounting brackets,

said clamping means being adjustably engageable with said cord portions for holding said side wall portions in an upright position'to form a tub.

a bed having a mattress supported thereon,

2. A bathing device comprising in combination:

a bed having a mattress supported thereon,

a pair of mounting brackets spaced "at opposite ends of said bed,

each of said brackets having a U-shaped base positionable under said mattress and upwardly extending posts projecting from said U-shaped base and having a rigid horizontal bar spaced between the upwardly extending posts, 7

a foldable elongated sheet of a waterproofed fabric having a rectangular base for resting on said mattress and having four integral side wall-forming portions, each of said side wall portions terminating in an open-ended longitudinally enclosed cord-carrying channel, cord portions extending from said open ends of said channels, and

clamping means having ring means sized to embrace said upwardly extending posts and bottom on said horizontal bars of said mounting brackets,

said clamping means being adjustably engageable with Thus,

5 said cord portions for holding said side wall portions in an upright position to form a tub.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,974 5/1896 Gorham 5-317 778,641 12/1904 Dudley et a1. 4-177 996,453 6/1911 Callahan 4-177 1,237,628 8/1917 Ford 4-177 X 6 Yannetta. Wallace et a1. 4-177 Loftin 4-177 X Lewis 5-317 X Ruiz 5-362 Jaffe 4-177 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

LEWIS I. LENNY, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR USE IN BATHING A PERSON LYING ON A MATTRESS SUPPORTED ON A BED WHICH COMPRISES: A PAIR OF MOUNTING BRACKETS SPACED AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE BED, EACH OF SAID MOUNTING BRACKETS HAVING A U-SHAPED BASE POSITIONABLE UNDER SAID MATTRESS AND UPWARDLY EXTENDING POSTS PROJECTING FROM SAID U-SHAPED BASE AND HAVING A RIGID HORIZONTAL BAR SPACED BETWEEN THE UPWARDLY EXTENDING POSTS, A FOLDABLE ELONGATED FLEXIBLE SHEET OF A VINYL COATED FABRIC HAVING A RECTANGULAR BASE FOR RESTING ON SAID MATTRESS AND HAVING FOUR INTEGRAL SIDE WALL-FORMING PORTIONS, EACH OF SAID SIDE WALL PORTIONS TERMINATING IN AN OPEN-ENDED LONGITUDINALLY ENCLOSED CORD-CARRYING 